Baalim

Ba'alim (Hebrews hab-bealim', הִבּעָלַים, plural of Baal, with the def. article prefixed; Sept. Βααλίμ,), according to most, images of the god Baal set up in temples and worshipped, usually in connection with those of Astarte (Jg 2:11; 1Sa 7:4, etc.); according to others, various forms of Baal (Ort, Dienst des B. in Israel, Leyden, 1864). See ASHTORETH.

Baal seems to have been the general name for the deity among the Phoenicians and Carthaginians (Serviuas, ad AEn. 1, 729; "lingua Punica Deus B l dicitur," Isidor. Orig. 8, 11), but with the article (הִבִּעִל, hab- Baal, "the Baal") BAAL distinctively, the chief male divinity (on the fem. ἡ Βαάλ, Ro 11:4, and often in the Sept., see Winer, New Test. Gr. § 205) of the Phoenician (i.e. proper Sidonian, Syrian, Carthaginian, and colonial Punic) race (hence the syllable βαλος or -bal so often found at the end of their proper names, e.g. Ι᾿θόβαλος or Ethbaal (q.v.), ῎Αγβαλος [Herod. 7:78], Ε᾿κνίβαλος and Μέρβαλος [Joseph. Ap. 1, 21]; also Hannibal, Ahibal, Adherbal, Hasdrubal, Maharbal, etc. [comp. Fromann, De cultu deor. ex ὀνομαθεσίᾷ illustri, Altdorf, 1744-45, p. 17 sq.]; yet that the suffix in these names is not expressive of deity in general, but only of Baal specifically, appears from a similar use of the titles Melkart, Astarte, etc., in other personal appellations [see generally Minter, Re.ig. d. Karthager, 2d ed. Kopenh. 1821]), like Bel among the Babylonians (for the contraction בִּל, Bal, for בִּעִל Baal, see Gesenius, Monum. Phoen. p. 452), and the tutelary Belus of Cyprus ("Citium of Bel," Steph. Byz. p. 510). The apostate Israelites worshipped him (in connection with Astarte) in the period of the judges (Jg 2:11,13; Jg 3:7; Jg 6:25 sq.), and the later kings, especially Ahaz (2Ch 28:2) and Manasseh (2Ki 21:3) of Judah, and Ahab and Hoshea of Israel (1Ki 16:31 sq.; 18:19 sq.; 2Ki 17:16 sq.; comp. also Jer 2:8; Jer 7:9; Jer 32:29. etc.), with but little interruption (2Ki 3:2; 2Ki 10:28; 2Ki 11:18). They had temples to him (1Ki 16:32; 2Ki 10:21 sq.), and altars (Jer 11:13) erected especially on eminences and roofs (Jer 19:5; Jer 32:29), as well as images set up in his honor (2Ki 3:2). Respecting the form of his worship we have very few distinct notices. His priests and prophets were very numerous (1Ki 18:22; 2Ki 10:19 sq.), and divided into various classes (2Ki 10:19).